PRATT – Throughout recent dangerously cold temperatures and snow, several Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) staff came to the aid of fellow Kansans who found themselves in need of emergency assistance.
On Feb. 13, Seth Turner, El Dorado State Park manager, freed a man trapped in his camper on a day when windchills never topped 10 below zero. The man’s furnace had run out of propane and his camper door had subsequently frozen shut. Turner even went so far as to help the man install a new propane tank and fix the door.
“It’s really a regular part of our jobs, helping people,” said Turner.
In another rescue, KDWPT game wardens safely retrieved “Oskie,” a beloved family pet that had fallen through ice on the Kansas River. Another KDWPT game warden recently transported a bald eagle that had been injured in a crash to a professional wildlife rehabilitator. This was followed by a KDWPT Public Lands manager who assisted in rescuing and releasing a Canada goose whose feathers had become partially frozen to the downspout of a residential home.
“From Law Enforcement to Public Lands and State Parks, our field staff are highly-trained and equipped to handle a variety of emergency situations,” said KDWPT assistant secretary Mike Miller. “They’re truly incredible at what they do, both on a day-to-day basis and in emergency situations, so we’re very lucky and appreciative to have them.”
To learn more about employment with KDWPT, visit ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/Jobs or follow KDWPT on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kdwpt.
